Shorthand-machine.



w. s. IRELAND. SHORIH AND MACHINE. APPLICATION man 'EEB. 21. 191i.

-w. s. IRELAND.

'SHORTHANB MACHINE. {APPLICATION FILED H9121. l9l7- Pate nted Dec. 9,1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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w. s IRELAND. SHORTHANDMACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED'FEB. 2!. 9H-

- Phfented Dec. 9,1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4- W. S. IRELAND.

SHORTHAND MACHiNE.

APPLICATION FI'LED FEB. 21 1917.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919."

5 SHEETSSHET 5.

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are? av WARD s1 IRELAND, or or. LGUIS, ivnssounrnssionon TO narrower, snonriema n H G i-t l? l x trait i ora ion MACHINE COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A COBQBAZQION OF' EQELAWARE.

SH ORTHAND-MACHINE.

ozaailjtl.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 21, 18117. Serial No. 150.05%.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lVaini S. KlU-ILA M), acitizen of the United States of America, a resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful ln'iproveinents in f-lhorthand-lllachines, of which the.followingis a full, cl lar, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this s u'zcification. I

My invention relates to improvements in shorthand machines, and more particularly to a sl'iorthand l'ceyboard and printing elements associated therewith. By the term shorthand machine I mean a machine having a number of keys adapted to he ctuated that a great variety of shorthand expedients may be printed through the medium of a simple keyboard. A further ohjei-t of the invention is to simplify the art of shorthand writing by enabling the operator to write, or print in very clear type, .inany diilerent characters which, hereto'lkn'e, have been only vaguely represented by arbitrary combinations ol characters. 1

Another object of the invention isv to pro- .duce a new shorthand machine lceyluiard having a highly desirable combination of conveniently arranged keys under the immediate control of the thumbs and fingers of illltLOPUljtliUl'.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel consll'lh'l'iOll, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the arcoi'npanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred em hodiment ot' tho'invention, however, it is to he understood that the invention compre-' hends changrsgvariations and modifications. which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

The shorthand machine I liaveshown to illustrate the oreferrecl form of theinvem tion is provided with means for printing upon and feeding a strip oit pa tier. The

keyboard includes keys which may beep orated independently of each other, or several keys may be operated simultaneously to print a line of characters. During each key operation, the paper advances one step irre' spective of the number of keys used in printing the character or characters.

lt is an advantage to minimize the nuiiiber of keys, for all of "the keys used in each printrng operation must be depressed'sin'niltaneously and they should be wit a the reachotand easily controlled. by the of thc operator. .tloivever, it is a (i disadvantage to reduce the number or t characters to such an extent that ma Q0131- plex"conilnnations of characters are r inred torepresent missing characters, l eto 'fore, numerals ,havc been representrd by combinations of alphabetical (-harai-te and also by combining, alphabetical, char: with another characterto innit-ate thatt )rinted matter is a code reoresenting' one or more numbers. In folloiving'the last jlit'lltionedmethochthe operator must depressv one key to print the nlni'ibor nulicatin5: than actor, and atthe same time manipulatetl e alpl'ialultical' keysto print the alpl'ial'ietioal characters which are to be readas numerals. Moreover, in transcribing the notesthc operator must watch carefully for the, distinguishing; character indicatinglhat the alphabetical characters represent numerals.

To eeo nnnize in the manufacture, of the machines, andto avoid unnmzessary weight,

. it is desirable to reduce the number of key levers and other parts to a mininunn. vlt. is also an advantage to construct the printing elements in such a manner that. a great "m riety of characters may be selected and printed on a relatively narrow strip of paper. This reduces the Weight of the paper roll, and, 'furthermore, it con'iparativelyeasy to read the relatively short lines goif characters. x v

To obtain all of the foregoing advantages, more particularly the highly important advantage of enabling the operator to Write words very rapidly, the printing type consists of what I term primary and secondary characters, and the finger keys have been so constructed and arranged that all of the selected keys may be actuated quite easily and very quickly. Before describing a specific structure, "i will endeavor to more clearly explain the .reason for using theare terms primary and secondary? charac- "tors, and point out the benefic1al results derived from the new combination and arrangement of keys, and type characters.

The group or groups vof characters used most N frequently have been termed primaryi characters, and the charactersnot used so often are the secondary characj ters.- Fm' example, a carefully selected I of such characters-s oi 11d be easily controlled group or groups of alphabetical characters .piay be considered asthe pnmary characters,

and numerals maybe the secondary characters. Or, if desired, the secondary chana'cters "may .include a carefull selected group of supplemental letters which provide for the printin of army large number of .wordsthat eoul not be conveniently printed by the primary "characters alone.

the art of machine-shorthand involves avery mariy characters 'oicur very .frequently,

acters-are quite im jrtant, and the printing by the handsof the Operator.

If he keyboardis so constructed that all {of the pr mary. and maybe printed simultaneously in -a single gline'ythe line"'would be'verylong, and the secondary characters {desired keys could not be readily selected and depressed at asingle stroke. Again, if

used to operate" the printing key's.'. To 0btain maximum speed, which isthe main objeet in shorthand writing, each of the open ,ators fingers should be free to actuate a character key, and it is apparent that this cannot be done if one or morefingers are more individual shift keys.

be obtained if any of the fingers are required to pteiiiform the sole function of actuating a w briefly describe ,a' specific structure whereby I overcome all of these disadvantages.

type characters arranged in difi'erent lines, a collectionand a secondary key, or shift key, for moving the secondary chara'cters to the printing line, The .primary; characters are printed by actuating the primary keys, and. all of -sa1d primary characters may be printed simultaneously ina single line, bydepressingfall of the primary keys at the same time.

The secondary key, or shift key, is prefer-' printed by a single stroke of a single finger.

n this connection it is importantto observe. that, 20- comprehensive scientific studyof' words, and,,as a resultof considerable study, I have. found that certain combinatlons of If pr1- e the f secondary! characters do not a'ppeartseoften. I Howeger, thev secondary char-.

' able type carrier.

the use of a large collection of printing keys is avoidedby employing ordinary individual g-shift keys, one or more fingers must be used to shift-the type,'and, therefore, cannot be .per portion of Fi I.- A ed by a The printing" elements include primary I and secondary of primary keys,

- consonant keys R, L, T, C and ably associated with. a series of the primary keys, audit all of the keys of this series are depressed .with'fthesecondary key, all,

of the seeondary'characters will be printed in a single line. Any ohe 'or more oithe last mentioned series of prlmaryikeys may be selected and depressed with the's'econdary' key for the purpose of ppinting theselected' secondary characters a Stated more specifically, one of the principal features of the invention-consists. incombining the secondary key with a series.

offtheprimary keys, ,in, such-a manner that.

any of the secondary ch'aractersmay be The sameis true of the primary characters.

In other .words, the machme'i's provided with both primary and secondary characters, and

ny oflthe charactersmay be selected and I printed by'onl'y one finger; Figure'I is a diagrammaticfal. View of the Printing element'. v

Fig. II is a plan view tions ofgthe housing-beingbroken away. Fig. 111- is a longitudinal section-0f the machine shown in Fig. II.

of the machine, por- Fig. IY-is a detail view showing primary V i and secondary keys, and-the shiftabletype.

carrier operable by the secondary keys. 'Fig. V is a', perspective vview of the Fig.- VI is 'a transverse section proximately on the line VI'-VI, Fig. 'III.

. Fig; is a fragmentary view illustrating a modification. 1 -'Fig. VIII is'a view similar to Fig-VII,

showm a further modification- The eyboard Ihavesho'wn-to illustrate taken ap- I I a preferred; form otthe invention comprises a group of primary initial consonant keys D, G, K, S,-'B,- T,"P, H, L and R, a group vowel keys 0, A, I, E and U,- and a group o B, T, G, L, Y and S". If all oftheseke'ys are depressed simultaneously, all. of the primary consonants will be printed: with the.

the up; I 7 star may be printvowels in a single line as shown at depressing the elongated key which hes between the initial and final consonant keys Any of these primary keys, or a comlnatlon of primary keys, may lie-selected primary final consonant 'keysL, R,N, M,

and depressed simultaneously to print any 1 I selected primary character'or characters.

l0 deslgnates a 'shift bar proyided with a seriesof individual secondary'initialcon sonant keysfJ, Y, M' and with the primary keys G, S,- T, H and R, as will be hereinafter'describe'd. .Ashift bar 11 is provided with a-row of secondary final H associated with the-adjacent primary keys R, M, T, L andSL. The secondary keys.

by a shift bar N, associatal 7 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, located-at the rear of the primary initial .consona'nt keys, are carried "selected secondary'character may be printed .bva single stroke or a single finger.

stripho'f-ipaperf14,- upon which the characters are pnnted,.pa'ss'es from a -gupplly 'roll -15,'nnder an idler. 16 "(Fig 'thenceiupwardly"over-.afeed roll 11, downwardly throu'ghhn inclined guideway 18,

and then rearwardlyto a discharge 0 ning at the rear of the-machine. --Rotatab e I'lb:

bon' spools l9. F-igQIII) lopated near, the rear of the machine-,-2are.,adapted to feed the inking ribbon 120: I diodev guide the ing rlbbong during{its movement from one I -sp'ooltoa'nother.

' The .type' support-preferably comprises a stationary horizontal rod'22, rigidly secured at its ends to side frames 23. A middle type section 24 is-rigidly secured to the stationary 1 rod 22 by means. of'a-p in 25 (Figs-.1 and mally lie atthe print:

andja-row ofsecondary type VI), The bottom eat of this stationary type section is provided-'with'a star and the vowel characters 0, A,'I, E and U. Shiftable t e sections 26 and'27, pivota'lly suprod 22, are each pro d d y hthe statiofnary h vi e" wit arow o rima t c aracters p 4 si ners. The primaiz, initial consonants-D, G, K, S, B, T, H, .and, R, on the type section'26 nore, so'-that.'.these initiallconsonantsmay e normally. printed by actuating the primary initial consonant ke'ys' Fora similar reason, r the primary,

v and S,-on the shiitabletype I normally located at the printing line. The

. section 27 "are keys. The type sections-26 and 27 may be.

shifted independently of each otherso that the secondary characters on either of said sections may be combined with the-primary 1 characters on the other section.

I .The 'primarytype characters normally lie directly above a row of printing hammers 28 (Figs. III, IV and VI)'wh1ch extend from. the rear ends-of key levers 29. Each of these key levers forms part of. aprimary key, and it .is pivotall' supported by a'pivot red 30. Springs-'31 Fig.- III).fi tted to the key levers',.yieldingly hold said levers in' their non-printing positions. When .one'of printing hammers moves upwardly, thereby forcing the paper 1 onto the inking :ribbon "20 (Fig. III),'at the sa'me ti'me fore-mg said ribbon onto a type character.

I-iThe means for shifting the independent typesections 26 and 27, to locate the secondary type et the printing line, comprises a lever 32 rigidly secured ,tothe shift bars rint anysecondary character.

extends from the type section 27.

mitte from its 45 I to the primar secured to the shift bars 11 and 13. The

III and'IV A pin 34, projecting from th type section 26,- hes :inan irregular camslot 35 at the rear end. oflever 32. The lever 1 2', v is provided with a similar cam 35 f VI) .for the reception of a pin .34

When the shift bars 10 and 12 are de-' pressed, the-cam 'faces of the slot 35 move upwardly, thereby .shiftmg thertype section 26-rearwardly to locate its secondarytype at the 'printin line. When the shift bars are released,- t elever 32 and the t pesection are restored by aspring 36 (Fig. IV). It will also be understood that the shift bars ylo and 12, and a'similar lever 32 rigidly lever 32 is ivotally; supported at 33 (Figs.

proveme'nts inshorthand machines,.filed-by. y

me Feb. 21, 1917,-Serial'Nuinber 150,053.

Each individual I secondary .key, or shift key,' 'is sivoted to one of the-'shiftbars and provide with a finger 40 (Figs, III and- V) which extends over a pin 41 on its comspective shift bars. When one ofthe second'ar keys is depressed, movement 1s translocated below the fingers 40 on the secondpanionprimary key. The fingers 40 nor- Y mally'rest upon pads 42 carried'by the reger 40 to the companion 3 .primary -key- The secondarykey also actu-- if ates telfto which it is connected so as w ary keys, so that theprim keysmay be ca depressed without. transmitting movement to the secondary keys.

The secondarykeys 1, I and II) at the rear of the-primary initial '2, 3,4 and 5 (Figs.

consonant keys are all secured to the shift- .bar 12, the secondary keys J, V, Y, M and N being secured to the shift bar 10, and asa consequence both of-said shift bars will move downwardly when, any one of these keys is depressed. However, owing to the manner, in which thesecpndary keys are loosely connected-.130 the shift bars, only one of the primary key's will m0,vewith ,the selected secondary key (shift key).

' 43 designates a universal be:

ported by the rod 30. I- o notfjdeein it e (Fig. III)" extending'over the key levers 29 and secured e ;:.to an arm '44, said arm'bein the primary keys is actuated one .of the necessary to show the; various. devices-which are actuated through the medium versal bar." k

Fig. QVII- illustrates -a-e-jimod' which the secondary keys Sl'fare e s key P is provide wit normally engages the r key. The secondary keys normally. rest.

- pendently of the shift barsQ When a sectype as previously described. ill

' prises secondary keys S pivotal y"supported.

by stationary ondary key S is depressedlit forces one of the secondary keys downwardly, at the same time actuating theshift bars-to shift the The niodiiicaltionshown in Fi .VIII comrods 47 and extendingover the shift barslO and l2 ,the free ends of thepivoted keys S being arranged directly above nine 41" on the primar Y ke 's P.

,. l a .i 4

- Iclaim:

board 1. I including a series of incliyiclual shiftkeys, a series of individual printing keys, :h of which is operable by one OfSELld 1651i shif "s, a serles of type characters each oi ilkmlfi, is associated with and printed by onlyone of said printing keys, and a second series. type characters, each of which is printed ythe joint operation of a shift key and its companion printing key, the printingkeys being operable simultaneously 'et selected"characters of the first mentienen series, and the individual shift keys being: movable simultaneously so as to actu I ate, the series of printing keys, thereby print n all of the characters 'b-l the second. so-

shorthand machine having akeyboard comprising groups of muivldual consonant keys movable simultaneously to print selected consonants, and a group of inclishift keys actuating a series of said con n "t keysto print secondary characters, said individual shift keys being movable shi'iultaneousl so as to actuate. saicl se ries of consonant keys, all at the same'time, thereby printing a series of secondary characters. v

3. A shorthaml machine having a key board comprising a group of individual initial consonant keys, a grbup of individual final. consonant keys, all of said keys being movable simultaneously to print the initial and final. consonants, and

movable independently of each other to print selected consonants, and a group. of indi idual shift keys actuating a series of said consonant keys to print secondary characters,

said group or" individual shift keys and the series of consonant:- n s actuated thereby cc-- ing movable with other consonant keys, so as to sii'nnltaneously print a selected combination of consonants and a selected combination oi secondary characters. v

4. A shorthai'u'l machine having a keyboard comprising a group of individual initial consonant'keys, a group of indivirl uai. final consonant keys, all of said keys. being movable simultaneously to print the ah. shorthand machine having a key" said keys being QGPY consonant keys actuated thereby beingmov- -able simultaneously to printa selected combination of secondary characters at the same "time. I

1 A shorthand machine having a keyboard comprising a group of individual initial consonant keys, a group of individual final-consonant keys, all of saiclkeys being movable simultaneously tovprint the initial and final consonants, and said keys being movable independently of each other to print selected consonants, a group of individual shift keys actuating. a series of the initial consonant keys to print secondary characters, and a group of individual shift keys actuating a series of the final consonant keys 'to' print secondary characters, the in dividual shift keys and the consonant keys actuated thereby being movable simultaneously to printtall of said secondary characte'rs at the same time, and the first mentioned group oiinclividual shift keys being;

movable with selectedkeys of the final 00ning keys being movable simultaneously so to trans iit movement to several printing leys at the sametime, thereby simultaneously printing a selected combination of sec-' oi'idury characters.

[7. A shorthand machine. having a keyboard including individual primary keys, individual ":econdary keys each of Whichis adapted to actuate one of said primary keys,

' said primary keys being movable independently of each otherto print selected primary characters, and secondary type.- characters each OfWlIlCll is printed by the joint opera.- tion of a secondary key and its companion primary key, said individual secondary keys being movable simultaneously by d flerent fingers, so as to print-a selected combination of secondary characters in one stroke.

8. A shorthand machine having a keyboard including alphabetical keys, and a row of numeral keys associated With said alphabetical lkeys, said alphabetical keys bemg arranged in front? of said row of numeral keys, the alphabetical keys bein op enable by the numeral keysand saidabetical keys being movable, independent said numeral keys.

9. A shorthand machine having a key- I 1 board including a shifter providedwith a sekeys.

ries of individual shift keys; and a series of individual printing keys, each of which is operable by one of said individual shift 'IO A shorthand machine. having a key board including a shifter, aseries of relatively short individual shift-keys each. of

which is pivoted to said shifter, and a se- .v ries'of prmting keys each of which is'operable by one'of said shift keys.

11. A- horthand machine having a keyboard including a shifter, a series of relatively short individual shift keys each of whichlis ries of printing keys-each of which is operable by one of Said shift keys, each printing key beinomovable independentl of itscom panionsliift key, and each shi t key'being provided -with 'an extension adapted to en gage its'companion'printingke 12, A shorthand machine, having a series of printing keys, a shifter common to.

all ofsaid keys, and a series 'ofindividual shiftkeys for actuating said shifter, each of said printing keys being operable by one of ivoted to said shifter, and a sea'shift bar, individual shift keys eachof \vhich is provided with means for transmit. ting movement to. an individual printing key and also to said shift bar, said printing I keys being free to move independently off said shift. bars and shift keys, and a series of the individual shift keys being movable simultaneously so as to actuate the shift bar and aseries of printing keys at the same time.;- 4 A 14. A shorthand machine having a keyboard including a series of individual shift keys, a shifter common to all of said keys, and a' series of individual printing keys movable independently, of each other and independently of said shifter to printiselected characters,'saidshifter and the series of ,printing keys being movable simultaneousl to print other selected characters; and eac in-- dividual shift key being combined with a printing'key to provide for the trans fission of movement from any selected shift y to a printing key. l

15. A shorthand machine having a keyshiftkeys at the front ofesaid'prmting keysand individual shift keys at the rear of saidprinting keys, each of said'printing'keysibr mg operable b one of said shift keys.

16. A- short andmachine havin a y; boi d including two series of shift keys, two? board including printing keys, "individual series .of printing keys, the printing keys being movable independently of the shift, keys, and each printing key being operable":

by one of the shiftkeys'.

In testimony that I'claim the'foregoing If 'hereunto' aflix my signature.

s." IBEL'AND. 

